Researchers have discovered how mutations in the JC polyomavirus help it evade antibodies, allowing the virus to escape the immune system in people with weakened immunity. The virus can cause progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare but often fatal brain disease with no effective treatment. By uncovering how antibodies bind to the virus and how mutations disrupt this process, scientists have identified promising targets for future vaccines and antibody-based therapies. Encouragingly, one antibody tested in the study also blocked a related BK polyomavirus, raising the possibility of developing a single treatment or vaccine that protects against both viruses.
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